WOMEN ’S BRAIN HEALTH SERIES: Dementia-Friendly Communities for All of Us—Why We Need Them and What You Can Do

Nora Super, Chief, Programs & Services, n4a While we all hope for a cure for Alzheimer’s disease soon, the reality is that millions of people need support now—and 60% of people with dementia live at home. The good news is that we can all do our part to meaningfully support people with dementia and their care partners. This is personal for me.  First, as ED of the 2015 White House Conference on Aging (WHCOA), Dementia Friendly America (DFA) was brought to my attention as a grassroots movement in Minnesota providing tools to make communities more dementia-friendly.  At the WHCOA, DFA committed to expand to 15 communities beyond the 35 communities in Minnesota. Today, just one year later, over 80 communities in 30 states are striving to become dementia friendly. Second, as a daughter of someone with dementia, I know firsthand the painful experience of encountering health professionals, restaurant servers and store clerks who have no clue how insensitive and destructive their treatment of people with dementia can be.  DFA gives people the resources to create a dementia-friendly environment across all sectors—from banks to transportation and housing. That’s why I am proud to co-chair DFA as part of my new role at n4a.   I hope you’ll join us in this essential work to better support people with dementia and their families. Here are a few tips for communicating with people with dementia: Slow pace slightly and allow time for person to respond. Use shorter simple ...
Source: Disruptive Women in Health Care - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Dementia Women's Health Source Type: blogs